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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the right of the Harris County Hospital District to |
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maintain local control over wages, hours, and other terms and |
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conditions of employment. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 281, Health and Safety |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 281.060 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 281.060. HARRIS COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT; CONTROL OF |
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EMPLOYMENT MATTERS. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Covered employee" means an employee of the Harris |
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County Hospital District. |
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(2) "District" means the Harris County Hospital |
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District. |
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(3) "Employee association" means an organization in |
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which covered employees participate, that exists wholly or partly |
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for the purpose of dealing with one or more public or private |
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employers concerning grievances, labor disputes, wages, rates of |
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pay, hours of work, or conditions of employment affecting |
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employees, and whose members pay dues by means of an automatic |
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payroll deduction by policy adopted by the district. |
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(b) The district may not be denied local control over the |
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terms and conditions of employment of district employees, including |
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wages, salaries, rates of pay, and hours of work or over any other |
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personnel issue. Notwithstanding any other law, the district may |
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meet and confer with an employee association recognized under |
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standards established by the district as the sole and exclusive |
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bargaining agent for all covered employees and may enter into a |
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memorandum of understanding with the employee association |
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regarding terms and conditions of employment, including wages, |
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salaries, rates of pay, and hours of work, or regarding any other |
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personnel issue. |
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(c) A memorandum of understanding entered into under this |
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section: |
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(1) is not enforceable or binding on the district, an |
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employee association, or any other person or party; and |
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(2) may be submitted to the Commissioners Court of |
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Harris County for any purpose determined to be appropriate by the |
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district or the commissioners court. |
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(d) The district may, as part of its standards for |
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recognition of an employee association, require the employee |
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association to produce a petition signed by a majority of all |
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covered employees that requests recognition of the association as |
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the sole and exclusive bargaining agent for all covered employees. |
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(e) This chapter does not require the district and the |
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recognized employee association to meet and confer or reach an |
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agreement on any issue. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |